Heating Up with “J J And The Heaters”

“J J And The Heaters” are a music group you may have heard perform at Brunswick Plantation and Golf Resort! The group originated here with two members who were boyhood friends since the 3rd grade….Dave Dodig and Steve Escot.

Dave Dodig and his wife , Kate, live in the Smithfield Section of Brunswick Plantation. Steve and Jane Escott came down to surprise Dave on his 50th birthday. The Escotts made a down payment for a lot at Smithfield before they left on that trip. Dave & Steve, childhood buddies, are now Living the Good Life at Brunswick Plantation!

Dave and Steve always shared the love of music…Jamming together in at Dave’s house! Sports and music were big in their young lives. Their friendship began in 1965 when Steve’s family moved from California to PA. Steve and Dave played for parties and raised their kids living near each other. Now they still Jam with their friends in North Carolina…You might say that Music is the Tie That Binds!

Dave and Kate Dodig have lived at Brunswick Plantation since July of 2005. Dave now works at Brunswick Plantation as a new home construction consultant. Kate is a Real Estate agent at Brunswick Plantation Homes & Real Estate Sales, located in the Plantation House at Brunswick. It’s All in the Family! Kate and Dave have a son and a daughter who both live in PA. They are delighted with their newest family addition…Granddaughter, Gia!

Steve Escott also got a job in the South when he and his wife, Jane, had their house built on their lot in the Smithfield section of Brunswick! Neighbors, once again , to Dave and Kate. Good Friends are Golden!

Their band, J J and The Heaters, now has 5 members…4 of whom live at Brunswick Plantation. Rick Clayton lives in Smithfield and Mark Madara lives in the Edonton section of the Plantation. Keith Gunter is a musician and vocalist and lives in Myrtle Beach , working as an engineering tech at Wyndam with Steve’s brother , Keith. Family members connect bringing Music to Your Ears! Originally, Keith practiced on his own and Jammed with the band for 3 hours. There was no definitive…You’re in the Band. It was just a natural evolution!

The other members of the group also met in a variety of ways that may seem …Meant to Be! Rick Clayton brought a deep fryer and made onion rings to the group’s first performance on a chilly February evening. Rick and his wife, Sue, also live in Smithfield. Rick started playing regularly regularly in the group with the Tenor Sax his wife had bought for him for Christmas. Rick says he is still learning and having lots of Fun!

Mark Madara met Rick while he and his wife, Jana, were walking their dog on his first visit. Mark and Dave met when Dave was the consultant for the building of Mark’s house. Mark and Jana moved to Brunswick Plantation in 2012 after Mark retired as a police officer in New Jersey. Mark’s parents have lived at Brunswick Plantation since 1997….More Family Ties! Mark also served in the Air Force for 8 years. He had played base since high school and impressed the group the first time he played with them in Steve’s garage. Steve plays Lead Guitar and Dave is Keeping the Beat on the Drums! They never told Mark he was in the band…Everyone says, It Just All Clicked!

Though there have been other members in the group who left for a various reasons…As bands often evolve, JJ And The Heaters now has these five who meet once a week on Wednesdays in Dave’s improvised music room and practice. Keith notes how he looks forward to practice! He is the lead singer with Dave, Steve, Ricky, and Mark singing harmonies! They all say they learn from and with each other!

Dave, Steve, Rick, and Keith all agree that Mark… the newest member, really “Raised the Bar” for them musically. They say Mark can Thump that Base and Picks it all…Boom! Boom! Boom! Mark is very humble, but the other members agree that he is Number 1 and has really made a difference in their playing together as a band.

These band members say that they get a feeling of satisfaction from playing together…even at practice! Jamming is important! This is expressed from a “Big Grin” to one saying this is “Freakin’ Awesome”! You can tell that they have such respect for each other, both musically and personally. In their words, It is a unit that works…Greater than the Sum of Its Parts!

J J and The Heatersknow a Ton of Songs! They keep something New…Current and recurrent Oldies! They play 50’s – Present…Wagon Wheel! They play Beatles to Cheap Trick! Southern Rock, Beach Music, Folk Rock , and a Touch of Country are all in their Repertoire! Theirs is Music to Dance To…Making You a Real “Dancing Machine”!

You may have heard their band perform at parties here or at the February 2013 Harley Davidson Birthday Bash. They were featured as the main event at the Harley Davidson Store on Route 17! They also play for the the Brunswick Plantation 4th of July events sponsored by Phil and Jeanette Meckling. You can hear them this year at the Memorial Day Celebration at Brunswick Plantation!

They are available to play at Weddings, Birthday Bashes, Holiday Parties., and More! So, any time you’d like to Spice Up Your Celebration…Heat it up with fun and dancing music by J J And The Heaters!Call: 910 575 8418 Or 910 880 0331 Or JJANDTHEHEATERS@AOL.COM More On Facebook @ JJANDTHEHEATERS

Dave, Steve, Rick, and Mark are all happy they moved to Brunswick Plantation and Golf Resort. Of Course, the friendly people who live here are a huge Plus! They also enjoy the many amenities with pools & gym as well as the variety of activities that the Brunswick House and19th Hole have to offer! The Golf course and near-by beaches are great! They also appreciate this beautiful gated community and that it is close to everything but not in a congested area. J J And The Heaters are a perfect example of why Brunswick Plantation and Golf Resort is a Better Way of Life!